Re: [Phys-l] About the "why" and "how" questions.

[ludwik kowalski <kowalskil@mail.montclair.edu>]

On Dec 23, 2010, at 8:59 PM, ludwik kowalski wrote:

> Bob Zannelli wrote: "In an absolute sense the why question may have  
> no answer."
>
> Not when we agree that "why X" is the same as "what caused X."  For  
> example, "why was an explosion in my microwaves owen today?"

And here is a more familiar illustration. Why is a terminal velocity  
reached by a parachute? Because of the "air resistance." What is wrong  
with this answer in a physics class?


Ludwik

http://csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/life/intro.html